A second chance
Mark 16: 7
But go, tell His disciples¡Xand Peter¡Xthat He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.¡¨
Because of the resurrection:
1. A second chance is possible.
2. A second chance is freeing.
3. A second chance is empowering.
Introduction:
When you were growing up, do you remember the phrase "Do-Over" that was often used during playtime? It would happen during a game of kick ball. The kicker would wallop the ball into the air over toward the trees. The ball would then bounce it way down through the branch and then get stuck. The ball would now be out-of-play and the game would have to stop until the ball was freed. Instead of penalizing the defensive team by allowing the kicker to run the bases and to insure a fair game, the phrase is yelled out, "Do-Over." At that, the kicker would be allowed the chance to kick over. It was always nice to have a "do-over," a second chance.
Sometimes in life, we wish we could yell out "Do-Over" and then do something in life a different way.
> Like the family man who loves his wife and children, who is under tremendous stress at work, at a moment of weakness commits adultery with a co-worker and destroys his marriage and looses his children. He would want to yell out "Do-Over!"
> Like the sixteen year-old who gets too comfortable with her boy friend on a date, lowers her guard and ends up pregnant. She would like a "Do-Over."
> Like the executive with high vocational goals and loads of ambition, works his way up the ladder to reach his goals. Once he has arrived, he is ready to celebrate, but there is no one around and his family is gone, sacrificed on the altar of worldly success. He would yell out "Do-Over!"
30% of an average person’s anxiety is focused on things about the past that can’t be changed. If we were honest with ourselves, we all would say that there is something in our past that we regret doing and wished we could yell "Do-Over" and find ourselves with a second chance.
I remember writing a letter in college to some friends sharing in harsh terms my dissatisfaction and disappointment over our friendship which successfully destroyed that relationship. I often have wished that I could yell ¡§Do-Over¡¨ and never wrote that letter.
If we are honest with ourselves, we could create a list of past regrets and ¡§Do-Over¡¨ wishes.
Perhaps you would:
Watch what you say
Find different friends
Not drink or do drugs
Wait until marriage
Be more honest
Finish school
Spend more time with the family
Resist temptation
Unfortunately, in the game of life, there is no ¡¥Do-Over¡¨ rule. We most deal with all these regrets. How does one handle these regrets?
Well, you could:
„« Ignore them and say that they never happened. However, this will create an uneasy and guilty spirit that leads one into emotional problems and depression.
„« Rationalize them and justify with logical reasons why you did what you did. This route can lead to a cold, hard and insensitive heart that lacks mercy and compassion.
„« Dwell on the regrets and beat yourself up over every bad decision that was made. This too is a bad route. It leads to a self-absorbed person that has a low self-worth and suffers from guilty.
„« Release the regrets by giving them to God. He is in the business of making things new again. He has said that if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old is passed away, behold all things become new.
With God, there is a second chance. In the passage that read earlier, there are two words not found in the other gospel accounts of the resurrection. All of the gospels record the resurrection. Only in Mark¡¦s account do we find this phrase. This two-word phrase points to the reality that God is a God of Second Chances. If you have ever what to find a second chance, you can find it with God.
Look in Mark 16:7.
1. Because of the resurrection, a second chance is possible.
Though we may fail God miserably, He still wants us to know that there is a second chance. On that Sunday morning, the angel told the women to go and tell the disciples and Peter that Jesus is alive.
The disciples, just hours before fled when Jesus was betrayed. They spent the past three years with Him learning and hearing about the love of God, and observing the wondrous miracles of God. At the time of heated testing and persecution when Jesus could have used the company and support of his fiends, the disciples leave Him high and dry. They forget about being loyal, and look out for themselves.
Just before the hour of Judas¡¦ betrayal, Jesus told them that they all would leave Him:
Cf. Mark 14:27
Then Jesus said to them, ¡§All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: ¡¥I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep will be scattered.¡¦
Those disciples fled betraying Jesus, seeking to protect them selves, left denying any connection to Jesus. For them the message of the angel means that a second chance is possible.
Also for Peter, the second chance is possible. When Jesus said that all would leave Him, Peter assured Jesus that he would not do that, even if it meant Peter¡¦s death. Then Jesus told Peter that he would deny Him three times before the cock crowed twice. Luke records that after the third denial that Jesus turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the words of Jesus and he was crushed. Scriptures tells us that he went out and wept bitterly.
Many of us can relate to Peter. If we will be honest with ourselves, we would admit to a time that we fail the Lord. It may be through the words of our mouth, the behavior of day, the thoughts of our mind or the inaction of our lives. We all have failed the Lord. For one it may be by using alcohol or drugs, for another by a sexually immoral life, or by giving up on church. If we are honest with ourselves, we all can admit to failing the Lord. According to First John, if we do not admit to failing the Lord, then we call God a liar, and the truth is not in us. Like Peter, we all have failed God. Also like Peter, there is forgiveness available; there is a second chance possible.
The Bible is full of second chances:
Adam and Eve ¡V after eating the forbidden fruit
Abraham ¡V after lying twice about Sarah his wife
Moses ¡V after killing an Egyptian
Samson ¡V after revealing the secret of his god given strength
David ¡V after his lust passion with Bathsheba and killing her husband
Jonah ¡V after he ran from God given assignment
A second chance was possible for them; a second chance is possible for us, too.
2. Because of the resurrection, a second chance is freeing.
These words from the angel to Peter point to the possibility of second chance, but it also points to the freedom of the second chance.
Scripture records that after Peter realized that he had denied and failed the Lord, he went out and wept bitterly. This showed more than just a sorrow of his heart, sorrow over Jesus seeing and hearing the denials. It shows a truly broken man repenting of his failure.
This remorseful weeping coupled with the angelic message, brings freedom. There is freedom from the agony, the bitterness, the callousness, the depression, the guilt, the misery, the sleeplessness, the sense of worthlessness, and the sense of woe-ness that comes with the failure.
This second chance, this forgiveness brings freedom:
Cf. 1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Romans 6:22
But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.
Romans 8:2
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
Scripture records that after the resurrection that Jesus appeared to Peter by himself, just Jesus and Peter. There is no record of what went on between them, but we can guess that this was the time that Jesus assured Peter of His forgiveness. Years later, when Peter writes his letter to the church, he remembers that wonderful day of forgiveness and writes:
Cf. 1 Peter 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
Because of His
Abundant Mercy
There is a
Living Hope
Through the
Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
A second chance is freeing, and ¡K.
3. Because of the resurrection, a second chance is empowering.
In the last chapter of John, we find a wonderful picture of Jesus assigning Peter to an awesome task.
Jesus:
Reassures Peter¡¦s love
Restores Peter¡¦s confidence
Reinstated Peter to the ministry
In that passage, Jesus asked three times, ¡§Peter do you love me?¡¨ Each time Peter responded, yes Lord, I Love You. Then Jesus said, ¡§Feed My sheep,¡¨ and then He says, ¡§Follow Me.¡¨
Jesus wants us to experience that second chance as well. We know that it is possible to have a second chance. When we turn to God in repentance, we are lifted by the freeing power of forgiveness. Being freed, we are then empowered by the love of God to follow and serve Him.
Just shortly after the fishing trip and the fellowship with Jesus, the disciples saw Jesus ascend in to heaven. Before He went, Jesus told them to be witnesses after they were empowered by the Holy Spirit. They then go to an upper room in Jerusalem where they are awaiting the gift of the Comforter, the Holy Spirit. In Acts 2, Luke says that the all were in the upper room and suddenly there came a sound from heaven like a rushing wind. The Holy Spirit comes and they all were empowered. That day Peter, the one that denied Jesus in front of a few people and a servant girl, stands before a huge crowd and declares that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah and the Son of God.
What made the difference? He failed, repented, found forgiveness and freedom and then was empowered by God. That sermon leads 3000 people to get saved that day.
Summary:
Are you one that needs a ¡§Do-Over?¡¨ Is there something that you have done and you need God to forgive you for it? If so then now is the time for that second chance. Come with a repentant heart, confess it to God and find God¡¦s forgiving power setting you free.
